Australian Sky & Telescope

Australian Sky & Telescope is a world-class magazine about the science and hobby of astronomy.  Combining the formidable worldwide resources of its venerable parent magazine with the talents of the best science writers and photographers in Australia, Australian Sky & Telescope is a magazine produced specifically for the Southern Hemisphere’s astronomers.

Are you a seasoned stargazer?

Australian sky & Telescope

Gravitational-wave detection count reaches 90

‘Mushballs’ might fall on the giant planets

Amateurs spot impact flash on Jupiter

IN BRIEF • Landing site selected for VIPER mission

Shredded star reveals elusive, middle-mass black hole

Southern celestial scenery

Your night sky guide for 2022 • There’ll be planetary pairings and oppositions, an occultation of Mars and a total lunar eclipse, plus many other celestial sights to delight astronomers this year.

ECLIPSES FOR 2022

THE SHORT, VIOLENT LIVES OF MAGNETARS • Neutron stars with extreme magnetic fields are behind some of the brightest outbursts in the Milky Way. Their story might reveal the answers to many cosmic mysteries.

HOW A MAGNETAR FLARES

Cosmic explosion hunters • Astronomers drop everything to look for flashes from gravitational-wave mergers, but often their searches turn up empty.

Remembering Henrietta Swan Leavitt • How one talented astronomer’s meticulous work left an important legacy.

APPRECIATION AND INSPIRATION

In the Twins’ toes

USING THE STAR CHART

Seeing the Seven Sisters • One of the sky’s finest open clusters has quite a tale to tell.

VISTAS

A rare Mars event begins the year • South-eastern Australia will see the Red Planet vanish behind the Moon.

SKY PHENOMENA

All-night meteor show • Set your sights on the circumpolar Centaurids

LUNAR PHENOMENA

Four comets to begin the year • Comets north and south, near and far, for southern observers.

The variable X factor • Comparison stars for magnitude estimates? That’s a bright idea.

The ever-changing Great Red Spot • Jupiter’s famous storm is the focus of a rich tradition of discovery by amateur astronomers.

Eye on Iris

Action at Jupiter

Choosing the best lenses for nightscapes • When nightscape photos fall short of your expectations, the problem could be the lens.

Astronomy for the people • A large government grant will see Port Macquarie acquire an Astronomical Science Centre the envy of much larger cities.

NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Understanding ISO • Producing high-quality astrophotos with a digital camera means understanding a few key parameters.

Life beyond Earth? • By century’s end, the author thinks we’ll have an answer to this question. But what kind of answer?

DayStar Filter’s SolaREDi SR-127 QT • We look at a premium 127-mm hydrogen-alpha solar telescope.

Bowling ball mounts • A closer look at an innovative spherical mount.

Amateur astronomers in action • With lockdowns eased, activities are beginning to ramp up again.

Nosing around NEOs • Your asteroid observations could provide space missions with valuable data.

Astrophotos from our readers

Savouring space and time • Despite its ravages, the pandemic gave many of us a pair of precious gifts.